A growing epidemic

Reports of ‘stolen’ or ‘missing’ medication on the rise. Legitimate patients may be affected.

Paul Hackbarth

To avoid “playing into the hands” of prescription drug dealers, the Rolla Police Department has not been taking reports of prescriptions being stolen, but that may be affecting legitimate patients.

A Rolla resident, who wished to remain anonymous, contacted The Rolla Daily News and said his medication went missing from his residence.

When the man contacted the RPD about the theft, he was told that the police department wouldn’t take a report because of people who abuse the system.

RPD Chief Mark Kearse said what happened a long time ago was that the police were getting “an enormous amount of calls” from people who claimed that their drugs had been stolen.

Since many doctors require a police report to fill the prescription, Kearse said these people would ask for police reports.

However, Kearse said it was discovered that officers were writing reports for “known drug dealers” and these individuals were “trying to take advantage of us” by saying their medication was “lost.”

Kearse said it had been discussed in the last few years of how to handle situations in which a legitimate patient reports stolen medication, but said, “We haven’t set a firm policy yet.”

Kearse said his department takes the prescription drug abuse epidemic very seriously.

The man who reported the missing prescription for oxycodone said he has been taking the medicine for six years after he began suffering from nerve damage after surgery. The man said he was eventually able to get a refill for the prescription.